It's so different being on Broadway in 1930. It's not as offensive to the eyes as it will eventually become in her time. Sure it's still glitzy and glamorous but it's got that charm to it, it isn't ostentatious, like it is in her time, so it's still a new concept to her. It's up and coming. It's not crowded like it is back home, it's still spacious and she loves it. Charlie watches her still staring with awe and wide eyes, just as she had when he first walked her down this way. He loves how she still can't keep her eyes in one spot; they're darting from place to place. Even though she is no stranger to this city, she pretends like she's just seeing for the first time. He holds her hand tighter. Her concentration is broken and she turns to him, a wide smile on her face. She looks beautiful, her red lips contrast with her smoky eyes and that dress. It's not something that he has normally seen on any of the girls that he's been around before her. Her dress is tight, tighter than he's ever seen on a woman before, but he loves it. It falls to her knees and the sleeves to her elbows. Her hair is swept off her face and pulled tightly into a ballerina bun as she called it and at the bottom of bun is a black bow. He loves her fashion choices; he's always surprised when they go out what she manages to pull off.

Rose grabs a hold of Charlie's arm and they head from the theatre to the restaurant. Her suggesting they see one of the last Ziegfeld performances since the amazing Billy Dove would be appearing had been something he had actually enjoyed seeing. Thankfully as the weather warms the days get longer so they can spend more time outside, which she seems to enjoy immensely. He turns to her. 'Rose, how many times have we gone out now?'

Rose blinks, taken off guard by that question but she finds herself smiling none the less and mentally counts. 'Hm, I think it's eight.'

'Really, I thought nine.' Charlie remarks and Rose turns up to him with a smirk.

'No, it's eight,' She assures him and he frowns. 'Are you including Staten Island?'

'Maybe that's where I'm getting nine.' Charlie admits and Rose begins to laugh at him.

'That's hardly a date, Charlie, that's me saving you.' She reminds him and Charlie is about to answer her when he spots someone approaching them in the rapidly growing evening crowds. He stops and takes her hand tightly in his. She doesn't notice until she keeps walking and she's abruptly pulled back. She turns around and Charlie is shaking his head.

'Come, this way.'

'But the restaurant is just here.' Rose points out but follows him anyway. He seems flustered and annoyed suddenly. She trots to fall into pace with him once again.

'We'll take the long way.' Charlie replies and Rose frowns, she doesn't ask anymore questions as he doesn't seem to want answer them, however she wants to know what she's looking out for. Are they being tailed? Well she can fix that.

'Why?'

Charlie stops as his name is called from across the large gap between them and the man who is quickly approaching them, Charlie sighs in defeat. Rose can see the anger in his face and she rubs the back of his hand with her thumb. He turns around at the last moment just as stranger approaches them. Charlie must not want to stay and converse with this man for long because he shields Rose from the man's stare while she watches from over his shoulder.

It isn't often people leave her feeling uncomfortable enough to stay silent. She doesn't even like making eye contact with this man, and she can feel his gaze on her. Charlie must have felt it too because he takes another step in front of her and holds her hand tightly. She can feel the animosity growing between this man and Charlie. There's a brutality to this man's eyes, a darkness to them. It makes her extremely uncomfortable; it seems to contrast with the expensive silk suit he's wearing, as if he he's attempting to give off an approachable air to others he may come into contact with, but it isn't working.

'Quella ragazza meglio essere italiano.' The man states, and Charlie glances down from Rose back to the man and frowns, wondering why he'd phrase his question as a statement. It's plainly obvious that she isn't.

'She isn't, clearly,' Charlie responds, preferring English, and the man lowers his gaze to where Rose isn't paying attention, instead watching the people as they continue to walk along Broadway, she has her hand in his and his arm wrapped in his as well, he eyes her. 'What do you want?'

'Il pagamento di questo mese è in ritardo, Charlie.' The man folds his arms and Charlie folds his as well, angry that he's being bothered right now about the tribute money. Rose peers around Charlie, hoping to continue to avoid the man's eye. It doesn't happen and the man deeply stares at her. She hastily looks away.

'I sent Frank and Albert to collect the money. They'll have it so go see them.' Charlie replies and that seems to infuriate the man further, as if Charlie's words isn't something he wants to hear. Rose shifts her weight from one foot to the other unsure if she should become involved. She really isn't dressed appropriately to fend off this large brute of a man.

'E ti ho detto che avrei affrontato senza uno dei vostri piccola banda, ma voi.' The man reminds Charlie and he does his best to not give in to the enormous irritation currently felt by his words. There is not a good enough reason for his boss to ignore his trusted friends.

'And why won't you deal with anyone but me?' Charlie wonders and the man continues to stare him down as if he should know the reason and shouldn't have to be constantly reminded of it.

'Non fare il furbo con me. Tu sai il motive,' The man responds and Charlie suppresses the urge to say something smart back to him. He directs his anger somewhere else by gripping Rose's hand tighter. 'Prendi i miei soldi entro domani, Luciana. Non inviare chiunque altro, perché sarebbe un peccato se qualcosa dovesse accadere a tua ragazza. Non credi?'

Charlie stares the man down deeply while he in turn watches Rose who is staring at her feet in apparent boredom. If she only knew. 'You wouldn't.' Charlie replies and the man arches his eyebrow in surprise, as if Charlie has forgotten to whom he's speaking with. He seems to forget that he will use whatever means necessary to collect what's owed to him. Including this girl.

'Try me,' The man answers in a heavily accented English. It's grabs Rose's attention because she peers around Charlie in surprise. However the man seems to think that his intention has been made clear enough and he brushes by them, taking another good look at Rose from behind as he goes, she catches him and arches her eyebrow at him. 'Lei è una bella ragazza, Charlie e non vorrebbe nulla per accadere a lei, vero?' He questions and Charlie glares at him as the man disappears into the crowds.

'Buonanotte, signore! Piacere di conoscerti!' Rose shouts after him and Charlie feels himself smile as they continue to stand there, the crowds bumping into them. Rose turns to Charlie with a confused stare. 'Who the hell was that?'

Charlie puts his arm around her shoulders and steers her away from the throngs of people. 'That, Rose, was my boss, Masseria.'

Rose pauses in her step and widens her eyes. 'Oh and you just stood there and let me be snarky to him?' She questions and Charlie shrugs his should absently unable to suppress the smirk. Rose frowns. 'Seriously, what if he does something to you because of me?'

Charlie doesn't answer right away, still enjoying her comment to Masseria. 'He won't. He'll probably forget all about it and if he doesn't then I know what to say to make him forget it.'

'It's that easy? He doesn't seem the type.' Rose replies seriously.

'No, he'll probably offer suggestions how to get you under control.' Charlie answers casually and Rose feels herself hesitate in her step, thoroughly annoyed by what Charlie's just said. He doesn't seem to notice her anger.

'And? Will you?'

'Will I what? Listen to him? Fuck no. I happen to like you just the way you are. Wouldn't be with you if I didn't.' Charlie answers and Rose breathes a small sigh of relief. But then again she can't help but wonder if she were anyone else, would he still be willing to disregard boss's orders?

It's an interesting thought. It makes her curious. She's sure if she had been from this time or perhaps rubbed him the wrong way, he'd have no problem raising his hand to put her in her place. After all that is a very common practice, she's actually seen it on the streets and it makes her sick. And, who's to say he hasn't done so to the others before her? How does she know? She doesn't, that's the thing, and she probably won't, either.

However, he must be able to tell that should he ever try anything like that on her, it'd be the last thing he ever did.

She's curious, she wants to know, but decides to let it go for now. Everything between them is still new; they're still figuring one another out. Depending on how long things between them last, then she'd see. So she moves on. 'What's he so mad about?'

Charlie knows to whom she is referring to. Hard to explain that he's always angry, a perpetual scowl on his face. When he isn't being uncouth that is. 'I'm late with his cut of my money.'

'But you said Albert and Frank have it. Why won't he go see them?' Rose questions and attempts to make her stride match his, he's walking quickly as he thinks. However he continues to ensure that her hand it gripped tightly in his, it's as though he fears that she could be snatched from him if he were to let her go.

'Because, Rose, my Broadway gang is bit of a mix of everyone and that's why Masseria hates them. Joey may carry out many orders but it's me who runs the day-to-day operations. I'm just the logical person to deal with. Albert and Frankie are Calabrian, among others, and he won't talk to anyone but me.' Charlie informs her and they pause in the street for a moment, Rose looks over her shoulder to where Charlie is staring at something but makes no comment on it.

'And why's that?' She wonders and Charlie turns back to her with a bit of a defeated expression as if what he's about to tell her is an omission of guilt.

'Because I'm Sicilian and that automatically makes me trustworthy in his eyes.' Charlie explains and they cross the street to the other side. Rose frowns, that…doesn't really make much sense to her. Charlie hasn't made it a secret to her or his associates how much Masseria's archaic ways aggravate him. This seems to be something else to be added to his ever-growing list that irks Charlie so. To him, just because he had been born in Sicily doesn't make him above anyone else. Masseria doesn't see it like that, though. Neither does Maranzano. He's growing very annoyed with the constant lectures about who to conduct business with. They didn't include Meyer or Ben, nor Albert or Frank. He remembers hearing the first time they had spoken about them when they weren't around and just he was, to say he was shocked didn't even begin to cover it.

'That's a rather antiquated way of thinking, you're all pretty much after the same goal.' Rose replies seriously and finds it hard to believe that the mindsets of these higher-ranking 'leaders' are exclusionists to other Italians, how did that make sense?

'I know, I'm aware,' Charlie agrees and suddenly doesn't feel like going to dinner. He's got to head over to see Frank to get the money so that he can drop it off to Masseria the next morning. 'Their backwards way of thinking is irritating to say the least.'

Rose smiles at him and nods her head, understanding his frustrations clearly, however it could be used as something beneficial to him. 'Whether you want to see it as something bad, Charlie, it can be considered a stroke of luck.'

'You think so?' Charlie wonders with a sideways smirk and Rose nods her head, wrapping her arms around his neck and nodding. Her shoes certainly make it easier to kiss her, they nearly bring her to his height, it's a wonder she hasn't fallen over.

'Sure, think about it,' Rose replies when she pulls away from him. 'These men, rooted in their old ways, are exclusionists of any other ethnic crime group. Good for you because it's added value to your allies that you can wield the authority over them by being seen as one of them.'

'Interesting way of seeing things,' Charlie answers her and Rose absently shrugs at him. 'It's just a shame that my crew will always be viewed as inferior outsiders.'

'Then maybe you'll have to change that,' Rose replies and glances to where the restaurant sits a few steps from where they currently are. Rose shifts her gaze back to Charlie. 'Do you want to go back to the hotel?' She offers suddenly not feeling like she wants to remain in the public eye. Maybe it's the run in with Masseria that fuels her need to take herself off the streets, she isn't sure, but right now she just wants to take Charlie and hide out for the rest of the evening.

'I thought you'd never ask,' Charlie answers and Rose smirks up at him. 'Park Avenue or West 23rd Street?' He wonders and Rose ponders which hotel she wishes to stay at, the Chelsea or the Waldorf Towers? His suite or her own?

'Mine.' She decides and they swing back around to hit Manhattan's Chelsea neighbourhood. She loves being able to live in New York like this. It's a taste of freedom here, living how she wants, doing what she wants. A break from her reality back in her right century.

'We need work on your pronunciation, no more French to it. The butchering of the Italian language probably pissed him off more than your attitude.' Charlie informs her and Rose feels her cheeks flush from embarrassment. She clears her throat.

'I don't hear it!' She exclaims innocently. Charlie draws her closer. 'It couldn't be that bad…'

'No, you're picking it up quickly but there's a French tone to it, I know you're not a native speaker.'

'They're nearly the same.' Rose points out and Charlie stares at her.

'Nearly but not.' Charlie answers and Rose starts to laugh.

They don't notice the man reading the newspaper, leaning against the exterior of the building. They pass by him since he appears to be rather ordinary, keeping to himself, however as he lowers the paper to stare at the pair of them together, the old feelings begin to surface. He watches her lace hands with the man she walks beside, the two of them striding confidently down the street. He hates how good she looks on his arm, even if she is dressed in anything but the right clothing, preferring pieces from her own time. Her laugh stabs at him, listening to her enjoying a moment between them.

A thought strikes him. It's odd that he's even here, of course, but given what words had been exchanged between the two of them, and her abrupt disappearance, he had wanted to see for himself what she had seen in him.

So far she hasn't revealed a thing.

He had seemed agitated when the spoke on the phone. She didn't know why, she inquired but he didn't tell her, instead wanting to know if she'd be coming today. Actually now that she recalls their conversation. He seemed perturbed that she had left him in the early morning, long before he awoke. All she had said in reply to him was that he knew she'd leave when she wanted, she promised she'd be back in the day, she just didn't know when. Well, she's here, now, she rang him and said if he had been so irked that she had left then he was welcome to meet her in Times Square. And for once in her life, she's actually early. She can see the square so hopefully she hasn't missed him and he isn't waiting.

Been a few minutes past the meet up time, still nothing. That's very unlike him. He's usually so punctual; she hopes nothing serious has happened. Unsure of what to do or where to go, Rose stands in the square, waiting to see what'd happen. Something does happen, but not what she expected to happen.

Something runs into the back of her legs and she nearly loses her balance, throwing her arms out to the side to catch herself. She turns around, ready to give whatever hit her an earful when she is instantly quieted. A young girl with shiny dark curls, terrified, wide blue eyes looks up to her. There is a massive red welt on her cheek as if someone struck her. She frowns and the girl hurries to her feet and hides behind Rose's legs. She can't be more than five or six but she's cowering, trying make herself a small as possible and Rose can see why.

A large, angry man comes barrelling down the walkway, his gaze set on Rose before he lowers it to the little girl hiding behind her legs. Rose gets into a defensive position and folds her arms. The man's brown eyes are full of rage and he points to Rose multiple times.

'You! Give me the girl behind you.' He has trouble keeping his voice level. Several times it raises itself in volume. The Polish accent is thick; he must have recently arrived from Poland. Rose shakes her head at him when he stops in front of her. The little girl holds on to Rose's ankles.

'Not until you tell me what she's done.'

'She's a damned thief! Aren't you, you little brat!' The man shouts and the girl let's out a sob.

'What did she steal from you?'

'Fruit! I own a fruit shop a couple of blocks away and I caught this thief stealing apples!'

'So you chased her here and what did you plan on doing with her once you got her?' Rose wonders and reaches behind her to place a comforting hand on the girl's head. She feels the girl tense.

'Smack some sense into her and then turn her over to the police.'

'Seems rather drastic, wouldn't you say? How much did she take? Are you sure you even have the right girl? Maybe it was someone else; there isn't anything on her. She didn't have anything in her hands.' Rose explains and that comment seems to infuriate the man further. He balls his fists at Rose.

'How dare you question me, stupid broad! Course I have the right brat! I saw her with my own eyes!'

'What did the fruit total? I'll give you money.'

'I don't want your damned money, I want her family to pay for what their stupid thief for a daughter took.' He shouts to her and Rose presses her lips into a thin line. She grows more and more annoyed.

'And I'm offering you a chance to forget it, and to take the money before this turns into something you don't want it to.' Rose states seriously and moves her hands to her hips. She can see the man's face flush from anger.

'You should be minding your own damned business, give me that little brat!' The man lunges low for the girl, who lets out a terrified cry, and Rose quickly spins backward, throwing her elbow into the man's stomach. He gasps and drops to his knees.

Rose lowers herself to his level, crouching as she gives the man a hard look. 'Rather rude, wouldn't you say? Now you get nothing, in fact you're lucky I don't call for a policeman.'

The man says nothing, trying to formulate words to call her, to hurl at her but every time he does they're lost in the attempt to regain his composure. He continues to suck in the air as the pain in his abdomen intensifies and flowers out. Well if he can't verbally assault her, then he'll do something else. That bitch needs to learn her spot, how dare she even raise her hands to a man?

As he lifts his right fist, ready to connect to the side of her face, he feels something grab his arm firmly and squeeze it. He's stuck. He can't more his arm. He struggles to release it but the grip is firm. And it isn't the broad's; she's continuing to stare at him. So he turns up and pales at who he sees holding him back.

'Problem?'

'No.' He answers hastily but that answer merely serves to darken his eyes.

'Wasn't asking you. Rose, is there a problem?'

'No, Charlie, there isn't.' Rose straightens up and Charlie releases the man's arm. The man doesn't move from his spot. He locks eyes with the ground. Of all the people to threaten, to attack, he had to go after that moll. There will be repercussions. He knows it. And it nearly drives him mad with fear.

He watches the broad turn around towards the thief and Charlie leans down and into the man's ear, squeezing his shoulder. 'If I catch you attempting to hurt my girl again, you won't live long enough to see the next day. Understand?'

The man says nothing and Charlie doesn't wait around to hear it, instead he heads towards Rose who is kneeling in front of the little girl. She has her arms wrapped around her as large tears push themselves from her eyes. She buries her face into Rose's neck and she puts her hand on the back of her head, standing up and the girl clings to her. She turns to Charlie.

'I made it.' Rose declares and Charlie turns around to see that the man had gone. Good.

'I can see that, what the hell happened? I just saw you throw your elbow into the guy.' Charlie wonders and stares at the girl still silently crying, so she gently starts moving around with her, rocking her slightly and it seems to make her feel more comfortable. She visibly relaxes but still keeps herself pressed tight to Rose, as if the man who chased her will be back. Thank god Rose knows what to do, he wouldn't know.

'He said she took apples from him, but she ran into me and she was empty handed.' Rose explains and Charlie frowns.

'She more than likely got rid of them. What's her name?'

'I don't know,' Rose admits and she has to gently pry the girl from her. 'What's your name?' She wonders and uses her thumb to dry the tears from her eyes.

She stares at Rose. Rose can see she's trying to understand the words but they seem to pass right through her. Charlie watches in confusion. 'Do you think she's mute?'

'Maybe, or maybe she doesn't speak English.'

'Or there's that.'

'Quel est votre nom?' Rose questions but again the girl shakes her head. Rose turns to Charlie. 'You try.'

Charlie stands beside Rose and the small girl turns to him, sensing what is coming next. 'Come ti chiami?' They only get a shake from her head as a response. Rose shifts her gaze from Charlie back to the girl. She's yet to tell him that she really likes listening to him speak in Italian. But. Time to focus.

'Okay, I've got one left and then it's a mystery and we'll have to take her to the police.' Rose decides and she sees Charlie become pensive.

'That'll scare her more.' Charlie surmises and Rose knows he's right.

'We can't wander all of Manhattan looking for where she lives,' Rose points out and Charlie mere sighs in response. 'Right then, kak tebya zovut?'

'Natal'ya.'

Rose and Charlie stare at one another before they shift their looks to the girl and Rose slowly smiles. 'Ah, well then. Privet Natal'ya.'

'Russian?' Charlie assumes and Rose smiles at him. Good to know that she can speak another language other than French, especially since there seems to be more Russians getting involved with the gangs. They have a viciousness to them, different from the others.

'Yes, Natalia's from Russia. Gde v Rossi vy?' Rose wonders and she can see Natalia stare off shyly.

'Moskva.'

'Moskva? Vy znayete , ya byl tam,' Rose replies and she sees Natalia's eyes widen but then she starts to cry again. She holds on to Rose tightly and rests her head on Rose's shoulder. She turns to Charlie. 'She's from Moscow.'

'Where does she live now? I'm sure her mother is franticly searching for her.' Charlie states and watches Natalia's fingers run over Rose's shoulder, feeling the softness of the olive coloured sweater.

'YA skuchayu po Moskve . YA yego tak khorosho znal . Vot , ya vsegda proigryval . Nikto ne ostanavlivayetsya, chtoby sprosit', yesli ya v poryadke , oni delayut vid, chto ne vidyat menya . Nikto ne zabotitsya .' Natalia explains and hugs Rose tighter. Rose sighs and rubs her back.

'What did she say?' Charlie wonders and Rose motions around them.

'She misses Moscow, she knew the streets well, she was never lost there. Here she says she's always lost. No one stops to ask if she's okay. She's invisible to them.' Rose replies and Charlie nods his head, knowing the feeling she's going through, but it'll pass. She'll learn it and then she'll never forget. Still it is scary when you don't know English and so young.

'Natal'ya , to, chto proizoshlo segodnya ? Gde tvoya mat'?' Rose wonders and Natalia shrugs her shoulders at her.

'Mama i ya byli poluchat' veshchi na uzhin. My byli v magazine, no zatem tolpa stala bol'she, i moya ruka skol'znula ot maminy. YA ne videl yeye bol'she. YA popytalsya posmotret', no ya poteryan. YA iskal navsegda.'

'She's been looking forever, she says. She was with her mother when they were shopping. The crowds got bigger, they got separated.' Rose translates and Charlie frowns.

'It must have been around lunch. That's the only time it could have gotten busier, enough to make a difference.' Charlie surmises and Rose nods her head.

'She must have just come from Moscow, if she doesn't know where she is. I thought her family would be in Little Odessa. In Brooklyn. Why Manhattan?' Rose wonders and Charlie frowns.

'What?'

'Brighton Beach? Wait…' She pauses. Damn. She's about ten to twenty years ahead of herself. The influx of Ukrainian Jews from Odessa hasn't happened yet. Brighton Beach isn't known as Little Odessa, Little Russia yet. Damn. Good job; explain your way out of that one, her mind taunts.

'You think her family is in Brooklyn?' Charlie repeats and Rose stares ahead, she can already feel his eyes on her. She's gotta be more careful.

'Maybe but I doubt it. They're here in Manhattan somewhere. Do you think she'd know if I asked?' Rose wonders and Charlie makes a face that tells her it isn't likely if she's still new to the city.

'It's worth a shot, I suppose, maybe she'll know a landmark, something we can recognise from her description.' Charlie replies and Rose nods her head.

'Natal'ya, vy znayete, gde vy zhivete?' Rose questions and Natalia shakes her head. Charlie sighs; this is going to be more difficult than he first thought. 'Net? Khorosho, vy mozhete opisat' to, chto ryadom s vami, yesli vy shag za predelami vashego doma?' Rose suggests and Natalia is quiet, thinking about her response for some time.

'I don't think she knows.' Charlie replies and lights up a cigarette. More silence between the three of them as they continue to stand in the middle of Times Square.

'YA vizhu bol'shoy kvadrat, yesli ya stoyu na ulitse. YA dumayu, chto eto zheleznodorozhnaya stantsiya. YA slyshu treniruyet mnogo. Eto delayet yego trudno spat' inogda.' Natalia explains and Rose frowns. She turns to Charlie who is staring at her waiting for a translation.

'Grand building?' Rose repeats and turns to Charlie. 'Trains?'

'Trains?' Charlie echoes and turns to face the streets, thinking. 'Penn Station.' He declares and Rose widens her eyes.

'Oh, of course!' Rose smiles. Natalia stares at them and then smiles because they are. She hopes they've figured out where she belongs. She hates this city some times. She misses Moscow so much. Natalia rests her head on Rose's shoulder as she and the man begin to walk in some direction Natalia doesn't know.

'Ledi , kak vas zovut ?' Natalia wonders and Charlie frowns. Her voice is, in spite of everything, small and quiet; she's still scared of where she is and her circumstances.

'Menya zovut Roza i eto Charli.' Rose motions to Charlie and Natalia turns her gaze to Charlie and smiles at him. He takes a long drag on the cigarette, he doesn't get children.

'Roza…' Natalia trails off and settles herself against Rose's shoulder once again and watches the people over her shoulder as they head away from their spot.

Rose turns up to Charlie. 'You seem…less stressed than when we spoke on the phone earlier.'

Charlie eyes her. 'Things are getting out of hand.'

Rose blinks. 'How so? The war? The…oh, the Castel…'

Charlie watches her as she continues to struggle with the pronunciation and inhales deeply on the cigarette; it's rather amusing actually. Rose gives him a pleading look to put her out of her misery. 'Castellammarese, yes, you're right.'

Rose flings him a don't patronise me look and feels Natalia playing with her hair. 'So, what happened?'

'Retaliation,' Charlie answers simply and Rose closes her eyes with a sigh. 'I warned them it would happen.'

'How? Reina family?' Rose questions and Charlie nods, he stops and Rose does as well, he points to a series of buildings she can still see from their spot in Times Square.

'See that building there?' Charlie points and notices that Natalia is staring at it too. He draws Rose closer and keeps his voice low. That's all he needs is to be caught talking about these types of things by the many eyes of Masseria. A quick scan of the crowd doesn't reveal anyone suspicious.

'Yes.'

'Corner window on the left façade, office is rented to Lucchese. After Reina's murder, Masseria appointed Joe Pinzolo to run the ice distribution racket. Until yesterday. When he was shot and killed in that office. I just came from informing Masseria of the Reina family's decision to formally join forces with Maranzano's.'

Rose bites her lip and Charlie watches Natalia starting to criss cross Rose's hair. Whatever keeps her quiet and not crying is fine by him. 'How'd he take that?'

'I nearly had my nose broken, how do you think he took it?'

Rose stares stunned even as they resume walking towards Penn Station. 'Why in the hell would he take it out on you? You warned him it would happen. When you kill your own ally to keep secret ones safe how did he think that was going to play out? That the Reina family would be okay with that?'

'Apparently.' Charlie answers and flicks the cigarette stub into the streets.

'What are you going to do? It seems Maranzano's faction is getting bigger all the time. Aren't you worried?' Rose wonders and Charlie turns to her.

'Of course, but I can't let Masseria know.'

'You can't tell me you'll go down with this ship.' Rose replies seriously and shifts Natalia so she's got a better grip of her. She can feel Natalia's fingers on her shoulder, feeling the softness of the sweater. Yeah, very soft and blocks out the wind well, she's learned that.

'No, of course not. Masseria is planning another hit. He hasn't told me who, yet, but something tells me it isn't local.' Charlie answers and Rose sighs.

'All this…this trading blows has me worried.' She admits and Natalia rests her head on Rose's shoulder. A case of hiccups over comes her. For a moment Rose wonders where she could possibly live, and hopes that her parents are out looking for her. Hopefully they'll find them first.

'Why?'

Rose flings him an unimpressed look. 'Why do you think?'

'Come the new year, hopefully things will have started to swing in our favour again, if not, I've got a backup plan.' Charlie explains and Rose looks to the ground, hiding her worry. Sure she knows the outcome, but that doesn't make her any less afraid for his safety. What if being here throws things out of balance. Charlie seems to sense her discomfort because he slides his arm around her waist.

'What's Plan B?' She wonders and rubs Natalia's back trying to soothe her from the hiccups. Charlie eyes her carefully.

'Negotiations.'

'To…' Rose trails off motioning slightly, gesturing in a way that Charlie understands. She is motioning a change of sides. And yes, she's correct. He'll not be dragged down in an increasingly one-sided war. Left wondering if he stayed on Masseria's side, if he'd be gunned down. It wasn't an if; it was when, of that he's sure. 'Oh…what if he finds out?'

'He won't.'

Rose tilts her head and gives Charlie a worried look. Doesn't matter they have a man who's essentially a double agent. It still makes her incredibly nervous for him. What's stopping Maranzano from sending people to the Waldorf Towers to eliminate him or to the Chelsea, she certainly doesn't want to die in a hail of bullets.

After all, they know Charlie's with her, from their standpoint, that means they're together.

What if they try to use her as a bargaining chip? Yeah, as if she'd even let it get to that point. Alliances shift so easily, she's starting to see that. But as Masseria's top-level man, what's Charlie supposed to do? He can only hold things together for so long before it becomes too much for him. And with all of Masseria's allies either dropping because of hits sanctioned by him or in retaliation, it doesn't matter. His support faction is growing dangerously small. Power is such a fleeting thing. She hopes Masseria's starting to learn that.

'If you say so…' Rose answers quietly, but she can't help but wonder who could be next and when the tides will start to shift back in their favour.

'You should ask her if anything looks familiar, if not, we'll have to get off 7th Avenue and try West 39th Street, wind our way down.' Charlie replies and they stop at the street junction while Rose holds Natalia out in front of her. Rose also doesn't miss the slight impatient tone to his voice.

'Milaya, razve lyuboye iz etogo vam znakomym?'

Natalia moves around in Rose's arms, twisting right and left to see if anything jogs her memory. All of the words are in a different language. She can't understand them. They're all lines and squiggles. She frowns. 'Net … no ya dumayu, chto … imeyetsya konditerskaya vozle nas. Kogda papa zanimayet menya iz inogda on pokupayet mne shokolad.'

'Confectionary?' Rose repeats and sets Natalia down. She immediately takes Rose's hand. Rose can see the red welt on her cheek is starting to lessen but she knows it'll leave an awful coloured bruise behind.

'That's a long sentence for a single word,' Charlie remarks and Rose smiles at him regardless. 'What about a confectionary?'

'She thinks she lives close to a confectionary. Is there one close to Penn Station?' Rose wonders and Charlie begins to rack his mind trying to think if there is one there.

'West 35th, I think.' Charlie answers, this is quickly becoming more of an endeavour than he first thought. The last thing he wanted to do today was escorting a lost child who speaks no English back to the tenement buildings somewhere in Midtown Manhattan.

Thankfully Rose had caught her first and even luckier, she spoke Russian. He should ask her where she picked that up, and why? By the sounds of it, that isn't an easy language to learn and in the complete opposite of French. How did she decide to skip learning another romantic language for that one? Then again that's probably the reason she's picking up the Italian he's trying to teach her, just as soon as she ditches the French accent, it'll be better.

He glances down to the small girl with dark hair and polished curls. Her hand is in Rose's tightly and she's pressed as tightly to her as possible. It leads him to wonder that had he been where Rose had been, would he even stop to help this girl? He hates to say it but he isn't sure he would, the simple fact being it didn't concern him. Plus the language barrier would have had him walking away from her that much quicker.

'I'm staying a few more days than I originally thought.' Rose abruptly says and Charlie turns his gaze to her. That's unexpected but welcome news. The boys are starting to get anxious, wanting to meet her, having only had glimpses of her as she wanders the streets. Problem is, introducing her to that many people could be overwhelming, which is why he's waiting for some function before he has to do the introductions. Strangely, one hasn't presented itself yet.

'Good to know, so where are we staying tonight?' Charlie questions and Rose smirks.

'Is that all you're thinking about?' She teases and Charlie nonchalantly shrugs.

'Maybe. One of many.' Charlie admits and Rose rolls her eyes playfully at him, she's unable to suppress the smirk.

'Roza, ya znayu , chto tsvetok stend .' Natalia abruptly interjects and Rose stops in her step, looking back at the lightly coloured blue awning that holds a man with a wide array of flowers. Now that she concentrates harder, she can smell the wonderfully mixed scent of the flowers drifting towards them.

'What?' Charlie turns to that same stand and then back to Natalia, she has a small smile on her face, carefully reserved joy.

'Flower stand, she recognises it. We have to be getting close.' Rose turns around slightly to see if she can spot someone in the crowds rushing towards them or someone shouting Natalia's name with that obvious accent. Nothing yet.

'West 37th. Well, I guess we'll see what happens as we get closer.' Charlie answers evenly. Rose can see that he wants to have this ordeal done and over with. She wonders why. Doesn't he get the sense of satisfaction by helping someone?

'Did you want to wait for me at the Towers?' Rose offers and Charlie glances to her.

'I'm fine.' He answers and Rose gives him a look. She opens her mouth to protest when she hears something faint in the distance. She doesn't hear it again.

'I don't believe you.' Rose states seriously and Charlie pauses in his step, grabbing her wrist as she walks by. She stops and Natalia bumps into the back of her. Rose arches her eyebrow as she smirks at him.

Charlie closes the distance between them and kisses her. 'Then that's your problem.' He replies with a grin. He's about to kiss her again when he feels the small girl dart from Rose's side to his and grips onto the overcoat tightly. He and Rose exchange confused looks.

'Roza! Roza! Papa!' Natalia cries and Rose stands on her toes to see where she can see him through the crowds. Charlie hoists her up, knowing those words in any language. Natalia twists in his grasp to stare over Charlie's shoulder and she waves enthusiastically. She wraps her arm around his neck so she can make herself taller and lean forward.

Charlie turns to Rose who has started to make her way through the crowds, hoping to bump into the man. He glances up to Natalia as she grips his neck harder. He carefully tries to loosen her grip. 'You know, you're quite strong given your size.'

Natalia merely blinks at him, her pale blue eyes searching his for understanding. The want to understand his words to even though she can't is very evident. Finally she gives up and smiles at him nonetheless.

'Natal'ya! Natal'ya!' A man's frantic voice is heard and Natalia once again leans over Charlie's shoulder and waves.

'Papa!'

'Syuda! Ser! Etot tak!' Rose calls to the man, hoping he'd hear her voice and move towards her. Charlie remains where he is, no point in running around to get lost again. He struggles to hold on to Natalia.

'Settle down, kid.' Charlie sets her down on the ground and she clutches onto his overcoat while she waits impatiently for Rose to return. She stands on her toes trying to see over the crowds.

Abruptly she darts into the crowd before Charlie has a chance to say anything or stop her. He curses and takes a step forward but as the crowd thins he sees Natalia in the strong embrace of a younger man, maybe the same age as himself and Rose, who is on his knees and Rose is standing beside them. Finally. This ordeal only took too long. He heads towards them as Rose lowers herself to their level and the man turns his gaze to her.

'Spasibo…' He states and they can hear his voice wavering as he stands with his daughter clasped tightly into his embrace.

'Vy radushny.' Rose answers and places her hand on his shoulder. The man presses his daughter tighter to him.

'Ona stal poteryannym v tolpakh. Moya zhena iskali yeye chasami. Ona prishla domoy v panike, i poetomu my iskali vmeste, no my ne mogli nayti yeye. Kogda my obratilis' k politsii, oni skazali, chto nichego ne mog sdelat', kak ona byla tol'ko propali bez vesti vsego za neskol'ko chasov.' The man explains and Rose shakes her head sympathetically at the man's telling of the story. She looks to Natalia relieved to be in her father's embrace once more.

Rose smiles sadly. She turns to Charlie. 'We were right, she got lost in the crowds and her mother couldn't find her. The police wouldn't help because she technically hadn't been missing long enough.' Rose translates and Charlie shakes his head.

'Useless.' He comments and Rose nods her head quickly.

'Mne zhal', oni by ne pomogat'. Natal'ya govorit, chto vy yeshche ne byli zdes' dolgoye vremya? Ona skuchayet po Moskve.' Rose comments quickly and the man gives her a small smile and rubs Natalia's back.

'Da, ya dumal, chto eto bylo by khorosho dlya nas. No veshchi ne luchshe, chem v Moskve.' He complains but Rose motions around them.

'Eto izmenitsya k luchshemu, on prosto zanimayet vremya.' She promises and the man gives her an appreciative smile. It may seem disenchanting to be here in a country that is struggling in a Depression, when all you've heard is nothing but the best and the promises of a better life. But it'll turn around. In about nine years or so but she doesn't say that to him.

'Spasibo, yeshche raz postavshchik byvshikh yey. Spasibo.' He states suddenly and gives Rose his hand. She is taken back but shakes it nonetheless.

'Ty bol'she, chem privetstviye.' Rose replies and grips his hand tightly. He then turns to Charlie, who's been silent as he's not a clue what they've been talking about although he can guess. He gives Charlie his hand next and they exchange a quick and firm handshake.

'Thank you.' The man states in shaky English and Charlie gives him a curt nod.

'You're welcome.'

The man gives them a quick smile and heads back the way he came, most likely to meet up with his wife so they can be reunited. Charlie and Rose watch them leave. Natalia waves to them over her father's shoulder enthusiastically.

'Do svidaniya!' Natalia calls and Rose waves back to her. They watch until the crowd blends them together and they become indistinguishable.

Charlie puts his arms around her waist. 'So, what were we doing again?'

Rose turns up to him with a smile. 'I think we were trying to decide where we're sleeping tonight.'

'Is it your turn to decide?' Charlie wonders, their system for alternating decisions on where to sleep has been working out quite well.

'Nope yours.' Rose answers but notices that they're heading towards the Chelsea nonetheless, she finds herself smiling at that. He must be subconsciously making up his mind.

Charlie doesn't answer her, instead he draws her closer and they continue to walk down the street. He's got her for a couple of extra days, this is perfect. He'll take her to dinner in Queens. With all the coming and going she does, he realises that he does miss her but at the same time the war has kept him so busy that he doesn't always have time to miss her. It's usually when she comes back to him that he's aware of how long the time has been.

And they usually have a lot to make up for.

'Truly, Rose, I'm so sorry; I didn't think she'd do that. I didn't even know she was working there.' Charlie calls to her from his spot on her bed. He's acting in a way she's never seen him before, conveying an emotion she didn't think he expressed very often. Embarrassment. She comes out of the bathroom. He's like an entirely different person to her right now. However she can see he's going over the scene in his mind again.

Charlie looks up when he hears her soft footfalls on the carpet. The deep jewel toned blue dress that seemed to lighten her eyes still sports the stain around her chest. Rose emerged from the bathroom with a wet cloth as she continued to rub at it. The ends of her once curled hair stick together from the liquid. Rose smiles as she glances up at him.

'What? The girl or the girl tossing wine in my face?' Rose questions with a playful tone. Charlie doesn't meet her gaze.

'Both, when you word it like that.'

'What a waste of a good wine.' Rose counters with a small laugh but Charlie doesn't return it.

'I'm sorry.'

Rose sinks down beside him, tossing the cloth back on the bed and attempts to run her hands through her hair, but the wine has matted it tightly to itself and Rose feels her fingers get stuck, she opens her mouth in pain and tugs a little softer. Still no luck. She'll have to shower it out. She puts her hand on his knee.

'It's happened. Nothing to be done about it now. She's jilted, that's for sure. You two have a bad breakup?' Rose teases and Charlie eyes her. The last thing he wants to do is talk about her, but Rose is prying it out of him, like she always does.

'I didn't think so.'

'Most men don't.' She replies evenly. She nearly added that the thing that probably ticked her off the most was the fact that she would be losing someone who funded her ability to be a party girl. Someone who most likely bought her gifts…

'I simply said I met someone else.' Charlie answers and Rose can picture him telling the Louise Brookes wannabe, in his firm voice, that it was over, to get over it and to get lost. He's lost interest in her.

Yeah, she'd be upset too, especially if her ex had come to her place of work, intentionally or not, and flaunted a new girl in her face. But did that really merit the tossing of wine in her face? Maybe. She was smart enough not to do it to Charlie. She knew better than to evoke his wrath.

'I bet she was used to sharing you with other women. She didn't want to be put aside and I bet she was angry that you were committing yourself to me.' Rose surmises and it's like she's taken his ex's anger and eloquently worded the anger and resentment she had hurled at him in the interim while Rose had been gone.

She'd known that he didn't like to stay tied to one woman, and he had told her, a long time ago that if this was something she wanted, then she'd better be fine with it. Outwardly she had said she would be but when they were alone together she lamented the fact that he wouldn't stay with just her. She didn't stay that night. He hadn't let her. And then Rose came back. And he wanted her badly. And he stayed faithful to her because she said it was nonnegotiable, question it once and she's gone. There's also the fact that she is more than enough for him.

'How'd you know?' Charlie finally wonders and Rose absently shrugs, still attempting to run her fingers through her hair. Giving up she places her hand on the bed behind them to steady herself.

'I could see it. In the Chelsea's bar, that one night.' Rose replies, that's all she says on the matter. She doesn't add that he appeared to be over her antics, her attitude, how drunk she was while he hadn't been. It's social for him; she was there to party.

'You could tell?' Charlie wonders and Rose shrugs absently.

'Maybe.'

'When I saw you again, I had to talk to you.' Charlie merely answers and Rose gives him a crooked smile. He covers her hand with his.

'I'm glad you did.' Rose merely responds and leans forward to kiss him. She pulls away and decides to shower the smell of wine off of her. She doesn't like the feel of the stiffness to her hair as it brushes her skin.

Charlie watches her slip off the dress, letting it fall around her ankles as she steps out of it and into the bathroom. Charlie falls back against the bed and replays the encounter over and over again even as he hears the water in the shower go on and off. Rose handled it with so much…her attitude had been so calm even as Gayle screamed at him, caused a scene, cut him off so he couldn't get a word in edge wise and then to add insult, when she had picked up his wine glass and toss the contents into Rose's face, hoping it'd incense him enough to strike back. He nearly did. As Gayle continued to scream at him, Rose had calmly dried herself off as best she could, she hadn't jumped up or back or cursed at Gayle or anything of the sort. Even as she and him engaged in a shouting match, he hadn't seen Rose settle the bill calmly, or even stand up to get around to his side, putting her hands on his shoulder and she had watched for a few more minutes before she had stepped between them and blocked an attempt from Gayle to take a swing at him.

'And you must be…?'

'Gayle. Who the hell are you?'

'It's obvious, isn't it?'

'That's what I thought. You're dating her?! You lookin' for sophistication? The hell is wrong with you? That over me?'

She had nearly reached for Rose's half full glass of wine before Rose had put her hand on Gayle's arm she had recoiled as if Rose's touch had been poison. Her simple comment had been it's over, and let it go. And then she had taken his hand and led him out the door. The silence had been deafening. And the embarrassment. Not much can leave him without words but that had been one of those times.

He's just so relieved that Rose's character is so much…better than what he's been used to dating. When she wanted to, Rose could instantly shift the air around her. She could become fierce, strong and her complexity could grow. She would never be simple to him; she could be odd to him, in a good way. She had things to say, always had things to say and even though she had flaws, as all people do, when she let hers show, it didn't bother him. She was ok. Her resilience to events that brought her down made him envious some times, because she would be on her feet again in no time.

He feels the bed shifting and he turns to see Rose lying on her side, resting her head against her hand while smiling at him. He's just glad Rose has a calm demeanour, so he places his hand on her knee. But there is one thought that comes to mind when they're alone together and he's studying her like he is now, those impish hazel eyes. Unstoppable. Whatever she wanted, she would take. And it would always be done with a smile.

'I hope you're not still thinking about it.' Rose comments and she covers his hand with hers. She watches his eyes go up and down the length of her.

'Maybe.'

'Oh, stop it. I diffused the situation. It's over. These things happen. Sometimes. First for me if I'm honest. Still…' Rose pauses and smiles brightly at him.

'Still…' Charlie echoes and Rose leans in to place her hand on his cheek and kiss him deeply.

Hopefully there isn't any more displays of crazy from the ex girlfriends. She isn't sure she'd be able to stay that calm. She's never been on the receiving end of a jilted ex before. Ah, there isn't time to think about it now, anyway. They're in the middle of something now.